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Post by feather on Mar 1, 2022 7:26:24 GMT -6
Welcome March! Considering the unrest of Russia and the Ukraine, I'm expecting more unexpected price fluctuations and changes.
We need to change how we keep bread and bags of vegetables. I have these very inexpensive plastic bags, gallon size, went up in price from 95 cents for 75, to $2.79 for 75. Can't keep wasting that money. I'm not sure what I'll use yet.
We ordered 30 lbs of raisins, 5 qts of molasses, and 100 lbs of thick cut rolled oats. Azure Standard delivery next week thursday the 10th.
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Post by Ohio Dreamer on Mar 3, 2022 7:21:35 GMT -6
Prep related...hummm. Well, I started knitting baby blankets. My kids are 23 and 19. Neither are anywhere near having a baby, but their friends are of similar age. Decided I need a project, so I'm going to start making baby blankets and stack them up. One can always find a way of giving away baby blankets even if not to my kids' friends... I went out and bought baby yarn, never have used this in the past. I always knew who I was kitting for, so I bought a worsted weight in a color chosen for them. Well...this baby yarn is a S-L-O-W knit, lol. May just make future ones from worsted weight in colors I like  I have some seeds started. Will get more going next week. I like to get some things going in stages....lengthens the harvest. But my next batch of tomatoes and peppers is my BIG planting. The ones I want to come on in huge quantities all at once....for canning That is the plan every year but doesn't always work out, lol. The weather has a big say in all that once my seedlings get to the garden. Stocked up on decaf coffee yesterday. Sat home in the morning and cyber-stocked stores to see who had the best price. I guessed Sam's would win. IF I was stuck on name-brand they would have, but Aldi beat them hands down (and are much closer). I have for years mixed regular coffee and decaf to use. It was easier on my daughter's acid reflex and cut the caffeine for me. I originally only did this in winter when I drank more coffee. Now I think I'm ready to switch to full strength in the morning and decaf at night. On workdays, I only get one cup in the morning. And at night....well....it's a comfort thing, lol. I am trying to stick to my workday drinking habits on off days. 1 to 1-1/2 quarts of water between the 2 cups of coffee. My daughter has moved out, so I don't need to have the "special mix" for her. And with a can of both in the cupboard, I could always make her (or me) a "special mix" for one cup as needed. We are as stocked up as we can be for now. We are running out of space, lol. I have yet to take on the work of re-arranging anything to see if we could fit more. I did "re-arrange" on graph paper, back in January. If I want to put in all the work, I think I could clear about half a shelving unit but make some more space for buckets. We could build a few more shelves for existing units, but I wouldn't be able to fit any more shelving in....so it seems like a lot of work for very little gain. But it would be less closter-phobic (sp?) if I re-arranged and we'd have things less visible to anyone we hire to do anything. |
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Post by manygoatsnomore on Mar 5, 2022 1:09:36 GMT -6
feather, do you wash out and reuse your plastic bags? Ohio Dreamer, is wiping the seal between loads still working with your freeze dryer? It's a Freeza Diva! I added to our cash on hand Tuesday, only to have to spend $340 of it on Wednesday. I forgot we had a new chiropractor coming to work on the horses. She did a great job, but really, we can't afford horses with this many problems! It's bad enough that I'm having to pay a premium price for average hay to keep them fed. Prices for everything horse-related had gone up tremendously. I sure hope Abby's DAC goes through without a hitch, because she needs to be supporting her horses herself! I will pick up more cash tomorrow when we're out to get hay. If it wasn't for property taxes coming up the end of April, I would have enough money on hand for my root canal and crown now, along with metal for the roof. I wish I had a nice big gas tank at home for refilling my truck. As high as gas prices are now, they're going to get higher, and I don't have enough storage available here to buy ahead.
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Post by feather on Mar 5, 2022 7:12:21 GMT -6
feather , do you wash out and reuse your plastic bags? Yes and no, which will be yes and yes. I have always been washing out the zip seal, zipper bags, press zip type, all the thicker bags. I haven't been washing out the thin sandwich bag type bags, large or small. That will have to change. The thinner ones don't hold their shape so will be more difficult to dry, but I'll figure it out and make it work. |
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Post by useless on Mar 5, 2022 7:29:22 GMT -6
feather , do you wash out and reuse your plastic bags? Yes and no, which will be yes and yes. I have always been washing out the zip seal, zipper bags, press zip type, all the thicker bags. I haven't been washing out the thin sandwich bag type bags, large or small. That will have to change. The thinner ones don't hold their shape so will be more difficult to dry, but I'll figure it out and make it work. |
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lilith
Full Member
Posts: 79
Talent: herbs
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Post by lilith on Mar 6, 2022 8:53:41 GMT -6
Hey feather I kinda like these guys. www.amazon.com/Reusable-Food-Storage-Bags-Resealable/dp/B08SBR9HSF/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?keywords=Reusable+Ziplock+Bags&qid=1646577060&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExUjlUQlpOUUdCTEk4JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDI4NzE3MVFEMVhYRUMwVUdOVyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTk3ODcyMTE2REczS1MzS043RyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVlI've been taking them to work for my lunches and they seem to hold up really well. It's a fair investment, but mine have paid for themselves twice over in the last year. As to where my prepping is at ... Pretty much a maintain what I had a year ago. Use, rotate, and replace. There hasn't been all that many changes. I'm at that stage of my life where I finally have financial stability, and I work like a dog to maintain it. Just in time for the economy to tank. Go figure. Last summer I sent the oldest kid off to tech school. Next summer the youngest will be out on her own as well. The house will be pretty empty for a few months/year anyway. So I was looking at buying a new vehicle. Gulp - have any of you looked at replacing a vehicle lately? Let's just say that my whole weekend has been spent repairing multiple dying vehicles I've set aside. Not because I want to drive them or work on them, but because their value has more than doubled! 15 years ago I paid $2500 for my ranger. I turned down a cash offer for $8000 last week because it's my only reliable(ish) work transportation. Junkers I couldn't get $200 for this time last year are bringing $2000 if they are running mostly decent. With parts shortages getting worse and worse - I'll fix them now while I still can. I've still got my heart set on a new drive to work vehicle. Something hybred for gas mileage, reliable, and new so I don't have to work on it every weekend. I found everything I want in the new Ford Maverick, have the down payment and financing, and am on the waiting list to get one. The dealership should be able to deliver in about six to eight months but it may be a year out still. |
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Post by feather on Mar 6, 2022 9:15:03 GMT -6
Thanks lilith, they look pretty sturdy! |
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Post by nbc3mom on Mar 6, 2022 10:11:24 GMT -6
lilith, The Toyota dealership here had an ad stating that they would buy your car for what you paid for it. We have a 2019 Honda CRV with only 26,000 miles. But we thought that if they pay us what we paid and we can get a RAV hybrid with the trade in plus our income tax refund, we would be ahead. In the past month, the price of a Hybrid has gone through the roof, if you can get one. People are putting a down payment for a car that might be built in 6-9 months. Meanwhile, the trade in price today could be much lower by then. We will keep our paid off CRV.
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Post by Michigan Gal on Mar 6, 2022 13:03:26 GMT -6
I am also knitting a baby blanket. My nephew got married last summer, this is their first. I knit blankets for the last two babies, and knit the newlyweds a much larger one for their wedding gift. I am all stocked up on yarn but can't help myself sometimes and buy new. I also have bags of washed wool from my sheep, and two bags of alpaca that I traded with a neighbor for. I could probably suffer a two year lockdown with no let up on knitting.
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Post by feather on Mar 7, 2022 14:18:09 GMT -6
Topping off supplies this month, molasses, oats, raisins, and toilet paper and WW flour.
I'm still short on red lentils but watching that for the grocery days.
On my list 2 cattle panels, 16 fence clips, 8 t posts, from tractor supply most likely.
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Post by Ohio Dreamer on Mar 8, 2022 16:34:53 GMT -6
manygoatsnomore, Yes, so far our Diva Freeza is running rather "faithfully" since her regular bubble bath. We have had 2 vacuum fails since bathing her, but we just pause the process open it up....give her another bubble bath....and she finishes the job at hand, LOL. So....she is getting off my "poop list", for now
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Post by nbc3mom on Mar 9, 2022 15:01:27 GMT -6
We have medical preps this month - dentist, dermatologist, DH's annual VA physical, and a Dexa scan. Prevention is the best way to head off major problems. We stopped at Costco after the dentist. Whole chickens were $1.49/pound, got 2. There was also a $3 off in store sale on tilapia; one large pack will make 5 meals. With our ground beef from butchering in the fall, fish that DH caught, hams bought on sale at Christmas, and pork loins from Costco, we will have enough meat to get us through until we butcher again. I have a lot of rice and pasta in the pantry and the freezer is full of veggies which will be great for meatless meals a few times a week. My neighbor flew home from Arizona to meet with the contractor this week and discuss plans for her new house. She is coming for dinner tomorrow night, chili and homemade bread. We don't do 'fancy' around here.  |
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Post by Ohio Dreamer on Mar 13, 2022 9:53:21 GMT -6
St Pat's week. That means I went to the farm store and 20# of cabbage followed me home, lol. After lunch I will start chopping cabbage, carrots, peppers and onions for cole slaw. I don't know if I'll get it all canned today. Only take 10 min in the waterbath for pints, so if I don't run out of energy I'll get done or close to. Will be nice to have a years worth of cole slaw on the shelf!!
ETA:
Well, I could only do one batch...I bought enough cabbage for 3. I didn't look at everything I'd need. I had enough mustard seeds for only one batch. Oops. The greenhouse I work at also has a bulk food store.....what do they say about a cobbler kids, LOL. Guess I'll be buying mustard seeds and celery seeds (I have enough for only 1 more batch) at lunch tomorrow, lol. Then I'll place a bulk order for 2 lbs of each.
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Post by Ohio Dreamer on Mar 16, 2022 14:37:32 GMT -6
Done, got the last of the coleslaw canned last night. Hubby helped me Monday night getting everything chopped. Then I canned it Tuesday night. 52 pints....I didn't plan that, but works out to one a week for a year |
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Post by useless on Mar 17, 2022 6:21:11 GMT -6
Good morning. 45', high clouds and some sun, light breeze.
Happy St. Patrick's Day! We are some part Irish, though more Scotch according to Ancestry and 23&me. And family knowledge, of course. As I understand it, neither has a lot of Welsh participation, so the quarter that would be from my mother's mother is skewed. Oh, well. I know their names and where they came from.
Last night's school concert went well. Felt very familiar. My colleague continues to sub and I to teach because we like kids, we're good with them, and always thought the ones in our programs were just nice. That doesn't seem to have changed. I was reminded that I miss having a group to conduct, though not enough to take on a youth orchestra (rehearsals every weekend), or start an adult orchestra, as have done some friends. I do not miss setting up lots of stands and chairs; shuffling kids on and off stage and from seating area to seating area while the audience waits; getting access to the auditorium (if there is one) to rehearse. They played one massed number last night where they never rehearsed everyone at once before the gig. That's scary. I picked up some hints about why my JH students do some of the things they do, particularly that I struggle to get them to bow boldly and with any body motion. Well. The entire group their age plays very carefully... so I'll guess that is what is taught. (Or not addressed enough.)
The student who has missed more lessons than I can feel comfortable with took an hour's lesson yesterday. A lot to do yet, but I felt somewhat relieved, and her mom texted that M. came home very excited. I'm hopeful of doing extended sessions these next two weeks, if I can wiggle times around. Staying later is not a problem for me. I just don't want to add another drive over. It's been such a long time since this event happened live that they don't really remember what it was to "be ready", plus that the ones who did this now 3 years ago weren't playing masterworks, the way they are at this point.
It's going to be busy here today, with the plumber supposed to work in the cellar, and tiling in the shower continuing upstairs. I think the poor cats will have to go in the coat closet or maybe the smallest bedroom. Any other space might need to be opened. If they're in the closet, the sounds of their protests are further away from the poor workmen. I have things I would like to practice, but that may not be practical till they are all gone.
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lilith
Full Member
Posts: 79
Talent: herbs
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Post by lilith on Mar 20, 2022 15:32:34 GMT -6
Everyone seems pretty quiet around here. I haven't had too much to say due to being in a simple holding pattern on my preps of use, rotate and restock. Aside from giving y'all my grocery lists, it would be a pretty boring comment. I hope everyone is doing well and are still hopeful about warm weather, sunshine, and the work that can be done. There is far too much bad in the world to ignore the goodness and warmth of sunshine on your face.
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Post by feather on Mar 20, 2022 15:44:55 GMT -6
lilith, yes the sunshine on my face, one of my favorite things. I'm topping off supplies.....today canning ketchup, topping off other staples and medical supplies in the tightwad area, daily chatter in the daily journal and chat thread, painting, pricing things, checking out the news  and staying healthy and safe as I can. We started our indoor peppers for transplanting later, and retopped one side of the raised garden. Stay healthy and smilin'!
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Post by feather on Mar 27, 2022 21:15:02 GMT -6
Mr feather picked up a case of iodized salt. The check out guy said, "you must be cooking or canning".......okay.
The grocery store only had 1 #10 can of tomato paste Contadina. I hope they restock soon.
Whole wheat or white wheat pasta....we can stock some. We can make it if we must. The question is do we want to make it.
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Post by midtnmama on Mar 28, 2022 6:36:56 GMT -6
DD told me that she is stocking up! Usually my kids roll their eyes when I tell them to do so. She had surgery recently and realized how having a full pantry is helpful.
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Post by useless on Mar 28, 2022 6:46:30 GMT -6
Whew! 6" of new snow, slushy icy layer at the bottom. 21' at 830AM. Haven't checked if more snow is predicted. Shoveled out so the workmen can get in and the trash be picked up. Due to the contractor's large trailer out front, the heavy ridge left by the plow is a few feet into the street. I shoveled that, too, so I can get in and out.
One out of town, one with an unexpected appointment, one home with a fever, so a short schedule today. I'll practice piano over at the church. Two of the absentees really want a lesson before thed festival. It will make a long day Wednesday, but shorter than I ran before the shutdown. Waiting for the one with the squealing string to reply. She has a half-hour lesson today. Prepared to cheer-lead and go with it if she's still on overload. I'm always glad when a festival is done. Very much so this year!
Calling for an appointment at the mechanic's. Small chores to tend to. My freezer really needs sorted. A few bags of vegs not looking so good. We'll see if that gets done today.
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Post by feather on Mar 28, 2022 11:15:11 GMT -6
DD told me that she is stocking up! Usually my kids roll their eyes when I tell them to do so. She had surgery recently and realized how having a full pantry is helpful. Back when I had just started to get to know mr feather, he had to have a surgery that would be a slow recovery. He used to survive on pizza and hot pockets from the freezer. So we made 4-5 main dishes 30 some meals, and packaged them for after the surgery, so he wouldn't have to have people take care of him cooking for about a month. That worked out really well for him.
You never know when you'll need premade warmable food for unscheduled emergency situations. Even just cars/trucks breaking down, being stranded at the mechanics, being gone all day having no access to grocery shopping. Having frozen meals or canned meals save time and traveling to grocery store time. In a pinch, dehydrated meals are helpful as well.
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Post by Ohio Dreamer on Mar 28, 2022 16:30:27 GMT -6
Burrr...only got to the mid 20's here today. That's cold for late March. Made a run to Berlin on Friday. Went to Berlin Seed - picked up more 4 cu foot bags of perlite for the new ground we will be breaking for potatoes as well as blood meal, bone meal, etc. Stocking up for the next few years. Then to Troyers for cheese ends, meat ends, bacon ends....see a theme here? Zinc's an Amish fabric store was the last stop in Berlin. Came home with 2 bolts of material. If you bought the entire bolt it was 3.99/yd for camo canvas (in a pattern/color pallet we didn't have). We bought the smallest bolt at 13 yrd....it was $5.50 a yard if you wanted it cut. Also got a thick nylon (has some sort of thick back material on it) to use to cover the seats of the new couches. The dog has sharp nails and likes to dig to make her spot comfier. So now we have a protective layer That botl was !.99/yd....yep....love Zinc's! Made a few more stops, but nothing worth "reporting". |
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lilith
Full Member
Posts: 79
Talent: herbs
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Post by lilith on Apr 2, 2022 9:05:31 GMT -6
Spring is late here too! My apricots finally bloomed two weeks later than normal. The flowers have been open for about 4 days now and I was concerned because the bees didn't show up till late evening yesterday. I do feel better that they have finally began to venture out as well. The lilacs are also just peeking their flower buds out of the leaf buds, so time for me to get the peas in the beds asap! It may have had a late start, but it looks like it's going to be a rush into summer kind of season.
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Post by Ohio Dreamer on Apr 8, 2022 5:22:49 GMT -6
Another useless weekend coming up. Seems to be the way here. Lots of days during the week I could get xyz done outside, but I'm at work. Then Saturday comes....and it snows! Can't wait till this pattern breaks. I have picked up seed potatoes and onion starts at work.....but they are just "resting" in my dining room waiting to get tucked into the soil, that's not ready. So it goes. I'm sure by August I will have forgotten about the late start.
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Post by feather on Apr 8, 2022 20:16:24 GMT -6
Another useless weekend coming up. Seems to be the way here. Lots of days during the week I could get xyz done outside, but I'm at work. Then Saturday comes....and it snows! Can't wait till this pattern breaks. I have picked up seed potatoes and onion starts at work.....but they are just "resting" in my dining room waiting to get tucked into the soil, that's not ready. So it goes. I'm sure by August I will have forgotten about the late start. We've had snow on and off all day today. Sometimes we hold off planting due to temperatures and some assurance they won't get frozen off, but they always catch up within a few weeks. It's better to plant a little later than to have them frozen off.
I hope your weather warms up soon, ours too!
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and staying healthy and safe as I can. We started our indoor peppers for transplanting later, and retopped one side of the raised garden. Stay healthy and smilin'! 